Chain Me To You
by TrashTheater
Summary: [Papcest, Fontcest] Abandoned by his brother and overwhelmed by Underswap, Slim begins to fall apart. The only one who seems to know what to do with the pieces is Edge, but things in Underfell are getting worse and he doesn't have time to babysit. Edge can lend a hand, but it wont be enough to keep Slim from falling.
1. Chapter 1

**Description** **:** [Red couldn't keep his voice steady. "boss, his brother kicked him out. it was quiet. no one… no one was even around." He reached up to tug on the leather around his neck. "…took his collar…"

There was a cold silence on the other line before a sharp "I'll be right there," and the line went dead.]

Abandoned by his brother and overwhelmed by Underswap, Slim begins to fall apart. The only one who seems to know what to do with the pieces is Edge, but things in Underfell are getting worse and he doesn't have time to babysit. Edge can lend a hand, but it wont be enough to keep Slim from falling.

 **Warnings** **:** Papyrus/Papyrus, Papyrus/Sans, Papyrus/Papyrus/Sans, SpicyBBQ, SpicyBBQMustard, Swapcest, Fontcest, Swapfellcest, Incest, Abuse, Bad Brother AU, Hurt Comfort, Good BDSM Etiquette, Bad BDSM Etiguette, Safe Word Use, Safe Word Not Use, No Safe Word, Conditioning, Hehumanization, Panic Attacks, Dependency, Abandonment, Pet Play, Collaring, Threesome, Self Harm, Not An Accurate Portrayal of Healthy Relationships or Proper BDSM Etiquette, More Will Be Added.

 **Nicknames** **:** Character nicknames are NICKNAMES. Characters and narration will occasionally use just Papyrus or Sans. I will try to keep it as clear as possible with context. Also using the more common nicknames: Slim and Black, Edge and Red, Stretch and Blue, Classic and Rus.

 **Disclaimer** **:** I don't own Undertale or any associated AUs.

* * *

Papyrus gasped as he struggled to get a grip on the rug beneath him. Every bone in his body felt like it was on fire. His broken ribs burned as he sucked in more air. His left radius was completely severed, as well as one of his clavicles. A mess of the little bones in his hands had been crushed beneath the heel of a black boot and they screamed every time he tried to defend himself. His skull throbbed, pelvis and legs aching in a way that promised he'd have trouble walking the next few days.

If he survived that long.

White hot pain bloomed across his ribs as another kick landed and he was knocked back against the wall.

Sans had been waiting for him when he walked in the door. Papyrus had known immediately something was wrong by the way his brother's magic blazing, expression dark with outrage. Self preservation kicked in and Papyrus nearly bolted, instincts telling him to run even when he knew running would only make whatever punishment was in store for him that much worse. So when Sans grabbed his soul and he was yanked down by his brother's feet he wasn't surprised, but he was deeply and utterly terrified.

What had he done? He couldn't remember anything specific. He'd fallen asleep at his post again, but Sans couldn't know that. His brother would have dealt with it right there if Sans had caught him. Besides, despite his best efforts, it was a pretty frequent occurrence. It couldn't be enough to bring his brother to that point. He'd snuck off to Muffets for lunch but if he'd caught wind of that, that usually meant that he wouldn't be allowed to eat for a few days, nothing like this. He was sure he hadn't done anything else. He'd been good!

Before he could manage to apologize anyways, for anything, everything, Sans began his punishment. His brother was happy to let him know exactly what he did wrong.

Everything. Every-fucking-thing he ever did. Did he exist just to make Sans life more difficult? Did he enjoy it? Was it revenge? He was lazy. Inconsiderate. Worthless. Pathetic. Never where Sans needed him. Always making his stupid jokes and fucking around instead of doing his one fucking job! Did he understand how shameful it was for Alphys to constantly bitch about his work ethic after everything Sans did to get him the job in the first place!? The other guards dared to tease him, the Magnificent Sans-!, just because he was saddled with such a miserable weakling!

Did he do it on purpose? -no!- Did he want Sans to appear weak? -m'lord please!- Why was he so fucking worthless?! -it hurts!-

Each accusation was accompanied by a blow, each question a stomp, every insult a blast that charred his bones. Every time Sans raised his hand to attack, Papyrus was sure his brother would lose control. That it would finally be the blow that shattered him and Sans could finally be rid of him for good.

Ultimately, blow after blow, his HP never even fluttered. His brother didn't want him dead, but by the end Papyrus desperately wished he did. He begged for it. He screamed. He just wanted it to stop.

The final kick left him wheezing, sobbing out frantic apologies. He couldn't even manage to curl in on himself in some meager attempt of protect. It hurt too much. His vision was flickering in and out, and he could barely see through the tears anyways. He'd lost track of the worst of his injuries. He just didn't understand how he could still be alive, the pain was so completely overwhelming.

Sans stared at him quietly. He stared for a long time, until Papyrus's tears began to subside and he dared to hope that maybe his brother had finished.

Sans stepped closer; a terrifying, looming figure for one so small. Papyrus cowered despite himself, afraid. Anger sated, the cold look Sans gave him was almost impassive as he finally whispered, "…I'm not doing this anymore."

Papyrus sniffed once more, weakly opening his mouth to ask what he meant. Before he could his soul was seized again and he was wrenched into the air. His body screamed and the sound forced its way out his open jaw, but Sans didn't notice. He opened the front door and marched out, carrying Papyrus with him.

"I'm done with you." He said simply, bringing him in close enough to touch. "You're just another chore I have to take care of. I'm sick of it. You aren't even worth the EXP to dust." Sans reached up to unfasten his collar.

Papyrus shrieked, kicking out despite the pain. He tried to fight him off, using the last of his strength to try shoving away his arms. "nonono! please!" Sans didn't seem bothered by the effort.

Papyrus was too weak to stop it. He was always too weak.

The item firmly in hand, Sans tossed him off the porch like garbage. Papyrus rolled as he hit the fresh snow, shocks of pain exploding throughout his body. Still, the second he stopped, he forced his broken body up reaching desperately for his brother's retreating back.

"m'lord-! please-!"

"Don't come back."

The door slammed shut.

Papyrus sat there for a moment before his broken hand dropped into the snow. The white powder began trying to sooth his throbbing fingers but he didn't notice. He didn't even notice the cold that was already seeping through the thin fabric of his hoodie or pants. He just stared at the door, willing it to open again.

It didn't.

His fading vision started to blink out rapidly. His brother had a temper. His fits were well known across the Underground and especially to Papyrus, but… he wasn't serious. Sans could be cruel and violent and sadistic, but that wasn't who he was. His brother was forgiving. His brother was the kindest monster in the underground. His brother had put up with his absolute shit for all those years, even though he could have killed him at any time. He wouldn't leave Papyrus there: beaten and broken, outside in the cold. Defenseless.

A cold breeze caressed over the bare bones of his neck.

His vision darkened more as footsteps rapidly approached him. He should run. They both had plenty of enemies in Snowdin. He was free EXP just sitting there, but he didn't move. Couldn't move.

His vision was completely dark now. Voices were speaking to him from far away. A small voice from inside reminded him he was only allowed to die for his brother's sake, but he hushed it quiet, remembering what Sans said. He wasn't even worth killing. The pain was starting to fade. The voices were getting farther and farther away.

If Sans was just acting out, he would step in before someone else could kill him. If not… then it didn't matter anymore.

Nothing mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

The peaceful atmosphere of the Underswap was shattered suddenly by Stretch and Red teleporting into existence in the middle of Stretch's living room. Between them, supported only by their join efforts, was the broken, unconscious Papyrus they'd found in the other universe. His injuries were beyond anything Stretch had ever seen and Red was frankly shocked he hadn't dusted yet. They winced every time they so much as jarred him, certain it was going to be the end.

"sans!" Stretch yelled frantically as he and Red shuffled over to the couch as carefully as they could given the urgency.

"ah shit-! fuck-!" Red panicked, trying to keep himself on task. It was difficult. His brother had gotten his fair share of injuries before, but nothing like this.

"help me lay him down," Stretch hurried, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"r-right, sure."

"PAPY~!" Blue's voice called from the kitchen. "YOU'RE JUST IN TIME FOR DINNER! AND DID I HEAR RED? I CAN-" He bounced out of the room, only to stop dead in his tracks at the sight of their guest. His gloved hands jumped to cover his mouth as he gasped horrified.

"call a healer!" Stretch told him, CHECKing the new skeletons stats. His HP was maxed out, but he wasn't moving, even though they had to be hurting him. His hollow sockets just stared blankly ahead, completely empty.

Red snarled, "'tha's not gonna fuck'n work!"

"well, what else are we supposed to do?" Stretch snapped, as Blue scrambled with his cellphone. "slap on a bandaid?" There was a first aid kit upstairs in the bathroom, but that was meant for small, non-HP damage. To sooth a well-meaning punch from Alphys or simple scrapes when he stumbled, drunk, into a door. It wasn't meant for shattered phalanges or Toriel-knew-what else!

Red was sweating nervously as he looked over the unconscious form. "i… got som' stronger stuff at home. da stuff i use. hold on." He disappeared in a blink.

"SHE'S NOT ANSWERING!" Blue said, fearfully. His eyes were welling up with bright blue tears. "PAPY, WHAT HAPPENED!?"

"keep trying," Stretch insisted, ignoring the question for now. As gently as he could, he reached for the others hoodie, carefully hitching it up out of the way. It was a lot like his in size and style, but it was clearly much older. It had past the stage of 'well-worn' ages ago, falling into the tail end of 'worn out' with old holes and even some patches. Paired up with singed edges from attacks that didn't usually damage clothing, it would likely have to be replaced.

With a choked gasp, Blue nearly dropped his phone and fled into the kitchen. Stretch winced as Blue started to cry in the other room, but he had to ignore it.

Honestly, he got it. If they had found a Sans in that situation- any Sans- if he had to see any version of his brother half as mangled… he didn't know what he'd do. Hell, even seeing himself so… impossibly broken- Seeing any monster so-

Red appeared again, holding a small glass jar and an armful of bandages. His eye light flicked to the exposed skeleton and narrowed to panicked pin pricks. "fuck i…" He took a sharp breath. "…i don' think it's enough."

"THE DOCTOR'S IN HOTLAND," Blue shouted suddenly. "SHE'LL BE HERE AS SOON AS SHE CAN."

"where?" Stretch asked, making it to the kitchen in three quick strides. The second he got the details he took a shortcut away and was back seconds later with Dogaressa clutching his arm, looking a little nauseous.

"sorry," he apologized quickly, ushering her to the couch, "it's kinda important…"

"It's fine," She said, trying to orient herself after the foreign trip. "Sans sounded very worried. I'd happily face a little travel sickness every time if…" She trailed off as her eyes settled on the patient. Her ears flattened against her head with a whimper as she knelt beside the couch, not waiting as Stretch ran to get her a chair. Green magic poured from her paws as she reached for the skeleton's ribs. When nothing happened she reached for his skull, then hands, frustrated tears forming quickly.

"Who did this?" She finally asked, in a quiet tone.

Stretch and Red exchanged glances. They didn't… _know_. Not for sure, anyways. They both thought about the black-clad skeleton tossing his brother into the snow like some sort of discarded toy. It seemed so straight forward, yet they must have misunderstood… something. Red reached up to clutch his own collar, holding it tight.

"Who did this?!" Dogaressa growled, turning on them. "I can't heal this-! It's- This is-!" She looked from Stretch to Blue. Then from the out-of-place Papyrus to the out-of-place Sans with narrowing eyes.

Red fumed. "hey! i ain't done shit-!" He snapped, magic flaring aggressively.

Stretch quickly got between them, holding out his hand placatingly as he corralled Red behind him. "we found him like this, i promise." This seemed to calm her down a little and with no one else to take her anger out on her tail tucked up between her legs. "is there anything you can do, doc?"

The woman hesitated, before sighing. "He has 1 HP, like you do. But his HP is fine. These attacks were meant to hurt but not damage. His magic could handle it, but his body couldn't. My magic can only heal a monster's soul damage. If there is nothing to heal, I can't do anything to ease his pain." She clawed at her coat. Monsters were mostly made of magic. Even damage that appeared physically was usually delegated to HP damage. "I don't… I have some medicine, but it's never been used for anything this bad before."

"nothin' ya got here could beat my stuff anyway," Red grumbled, holding out the jar. Dogaressa hesitated at first, but Monsters in Underswap were always trusting. He insisted it was proper medicine and she believed him. It didn't matter where it came from, Red knew it worked. It was good stuff. That's all that mattered.

Dogeressa pulled out additional supplies from her bag, and started showing them how to properly apply the medicine and bandage the injuries. The medicine was a dark black cream and had a distinct licorice smell to it, but Red insisted it was pretty soothing. It would speed up the healing process and help with the pain, but it was going to take some time. The bottle would be enough for that day, but they'd need to treat his injuries at least a few times. Dogeressa carefully secured the broken ribs with tongue compressors and medical tape. Skeleton bones were already held together by magic. Even completely severed, there was a good chance they could reform if treated properly.

She had only gotten so far before her phone rang. She ignored it, engrossed in her work. Then it rang again. On the third one she glanced at the ID, before finally answering. "Unless the baby is coming right this second, I really can't-" She was cut off by a distant scream on the other line they could all hear.

She looked down at her patient and winced. Red grabbed the jar from her and Stretch took her arm. "we can take it from here. that sounds important."

"I can try to find another doctor to come over here," She offered weakly. There weren't many healers available in general, but as long as she could get ahold of them they would help.

"we got it," Red grumbled. She couldn't heal him, so she'd been unnecessary from the start. He knew how to fucking wrap bone.

She looked at Stretch who nodded. "i think we can handle it from here," He said, trying to sound confident. It must have worked because she let him take her to her next appointment. Stretch was back in seconds.

"'m gonna need to buy a lot more stuff…" Red muttered as they finished up one of the skeletons damaged hands. They were both completely mummified and didn't look half as nice as the part Dogaressa did, but it would be good enough for now.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND," Blue muttered after they finally explained how they'd found him. He'd managed to pull himself together enough to insist on helping. Stretch had been against it originally, but hadn't been able to stop him. "HOW COULD… HIS BROTHER WOULDN'T…" His voice trembled.

"we don' know anythin fer sure," Red mumbled, although he tugged on his collar again. He was used to getting knocked around by his brother himself. There was a reason he owned the medicine in the first place. It was stupid to jump to conclusions, but he couldn't help thinking Edge would never have taken it that far. Then there was his collar…

Moving back to the ribs, they tried to address the worst breaks first. Stretch tried not to gag as he secured loose bone fragments with extra salve and the tape. That took much longer then the fingers had. They were much harder to realign and keep in place. Red insisted they could handle it, but Stretch was starting to regret not taking Dogaressa up on her offer.

They had only managed to finish off three more by the time the unconscious skeleton began to respond. He moaned softly and winced as Stretch struggled to hold a lower rib in place.

"hey buddy," He hushed, trying to keep his voice comforting. "don't move, okay?" The movement settled down for another moment, but started up again as soon as Stretch started on the next one. "seriously, you gotta keep calm. i don't wanna hurt you."

Immediately weak orange eye light flickered back to life and the skeleton tensed up in fear. They watched as pain flashed across his features and he let out a horribly pained sound.

"DON'T HURT YOURSELF!" Blue said quickly.

The new Papyrus turned to him and lit up. He starting to sit up and Stretch panicked, trying to keep him down but also afraid to lay hands on any part of him. "m'lor-!" He started excitedly, before trailing off. Stretch strategically patted at the least injured-looking parts of his shoulders and the new comer allowed it, sinking back onto the couch, his expression settling into confusion as he took in Blue's appearance. "my… lord?"

Blue smiled was unusually feeble and uncharacteristically insecure, but he tried to keep it encouraging. "NO I'M… I'M BLUE. IT'S VERY NICE TO MEET YOU. YOU'RE REALLY HURT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO PATCH YOU RIGHT UP!"

"yeah," Red said with a wink, his easygoing smile also looking a little strained at the edges. "why don't cha lay back and let the doc work, huh slim?"

Stretch realized none of them were preforming that well under pressure, when his chuckle next chuckle came out sounding forced. "slim? really?"

"what? fits don't it?" Slim, like his chances of survival were when they'd found him. "better n' buddy anyways. what ya think, new guy?"

The new Papyrus was just staring at them, clearly confused. Dogeressa had warned them he might have a concussion, among other things, and might have trouble getting his head together. Slowly his eye lights faded and he obediently relaxed his bones, turning his face towards the back of the couch.

They all exchanged worried looks. It was probably a little soon to try and lift his spirits. Stretch worked the hoodie back up, the newly named Slim stiffening with every touch.

"wanna tell us what happened?" He asked, trying to sound casual.

Slim signed softly. "i believe i passed out."

Red snorted. "snarky."

Slim flinched, turning back quickly, his voice fearful. "i'm sorry. i didn't mean to be. that is all i remember."

Red didn't reply right away. His fingers twitched to reach back up to his collar. Stretch started treatment again and was happy Slime only let out a soft hiss and the slightest flinch. Hopefully that meant that it wasn't hurting him too much.

"i -uh- meant yer injuries there, pal."

Eye light flickered for a moment as Slim studied him, then Stretch, before barely grazing Blue with a nervous glance. He didn't answer right away, likely trying to decide what he wanted to tell them. Red supposed he would be doing the same in a similar situation, although he liked to think he had a better poker face. Once Slim settled on an answer, his mouth opened-

-then snapped shut immediately. His hand darted to his throat as his sockets widened.

"hold on-! don't move-!" Stretch panicked again.

Slim grasped at his neck for a moment, scraping at the bone, before digging around inside his hoodie frantically. He pulling away from them with a gasp, pressing back into the corner of the couch. He didn't seem bothered by the pain he had to be in, but he let out a heart-broken wail as he shook out his top, hoping to dislodge the lost treasure.

Stretch reached for him, pained. "no- come on, stop-!" Red grabbed his arm to hold him back. "he's hurting himself-!"

Slim let out a desperate scream and they all jumped in shock. Ceasing his frivolous search, he began to frustratedly claw at the top of his skull, his magic building.

"WAIT-!" Blue began.

"we don't want to be here now!" Red yanked Stretch out of the chair and grabbed Blue, dragging them both into the kitchen as Slim screamed again. He shoved them both in the corner just as the building magic exploded.

There was a wave of energy that shook the house. Blue clutched Stretch's hoodie as the windows shattered. Stretch pulled them both in closer, hoping they were actually out of the blasting range. The echoed sensation of magic passed through them and they shivered. It wasn't an attack, nothing as controlled as a bone construct or a blaster. It was raw, unfocused magic, stripped down to it's barest elements. Not the sort of technique monsters tended to use in battle, but it was certainly powerful.

"WHAT'S GOING ON!?"

"uh…" Another scream, this time accompanied by a half-formed bone attack. A bunch of them flew through the kitchen, but they were out of the line of fire. If the tv had managed to survive the first attack, they certainly heard it's destruction under the second. "-a p… panic attack? i think?"

"you think!?"

"i'm not usually on this side! an' mine aren't- my brother's never-!" He scowled. He didn't have time to explain this shit to them. Of course Slim was panicking! But he was going to really hurt himself. Red pulled out his phone. "i'm callin' boss."

Another magical wave shook the house. Usually magic adapted naturally to its environment, working of it's own accord to avoid doing damage to non-living objects. That didn't seem to be stopping Slim at all.

Stretch grinned uneasily, petting his brother's skull. "well, you wanted to redecorate," he laughed.

"THIS IS HARDLY THE TIME!" Blue yelled back.

There was a soft click on the other line. "Sans, you idiot." Edge began the second he answered the phone. "Where the hell are you? You were supposed to be home twenty minutes ago."

" 'ey boss, gonna be late-"

"You're already late!" Edge interrupted just as Slim screamed and let out another attack. "What was that? Are you being attacked?"

" 'm fine boss." Red reassured quickly. "stretch and i were-uh, well…"

"Cut to the chase!"

"it's another papyrus. i think he's panicken'. he's like me, i think, but his bro…" Red couldn't keep his voice steady. "his brother kicked 'im out, boss. it was… quiet. no one was even around…" He reached up to tug on the leather around his neck. "…he took his collar…"

There was a cold moment of silence on the other side, then a sharp 'I'll be right there,' and the line went dead.

Red sighed. "he's on his way."

"uh, good?" Stretch said, not really sure how that was supposed to help them. The magical blasts were becoming less frequent between screams as Slim's energy drained rapidly. It would have been a lot worse for them if he had been at full strength, but wasting his magic reserves wasn't good for him either. His magic was already low because of his injuries.

It didn't take very long before they heard the front door fly open. The three of them raced to the entryway just as Edge braced himself against the next attack. The bones took a chunk off his health, but at such a low ATK each even a thousand attacks was nothing he couldn't handle. He brushed it off and marched over to the screaming skeleton on the couch. Wasting no time, he raised his hand and slapped the already injured skeleton across the face so hard his skull snapped sideways and his whole body lurched.

"HEY!" The swap brother's screamed in unison. Red grabbed them both to try to keep them from interfering, but they just ended up dragging him along as they stormed into the living room.

Edge ignored them. Empty sockets blinked slowly before turning to him. The lights were out and the way they gazed aimlessly, it was unlikely that he could see anything at the moment, but at least he wasn't screaming. His magic relaxed and his bones sagged.

"m'lord?" he whispered.

Edge didn't correct him. "What do you need?"

Slim didn't understand, "m'lord?"

"you can't just hit him, you bastard-!" Stretch hissed, keeping on the quiet side only because Slim had calmed down. "he's already hurt-!" The taller Fell brother gave him a look that promised a rather unpleasant death and Stretch found himself backing down, just a little.

Prioritizing the problem in front of him, Edge grabbed Slim's chin roughly and lifted his face. "Tell me what you need," he ordered firmly.

Slim flinched at the touch, but almost immediately after seemed to melt into it. His sockets closed and he moved to nuzzle the bones affectionately. "nothing, m'lord. i'm sorry, m'lord. thank you, m'lord."

"Shut up."

"yes, m'lord" he relaxed even more.

Edge turned his skull one way, then the other, examining him. With his other hand, he tugged forward the opening of the hoodie to look at his throat, then lifted the front to examine his body. The observers were silent as Edge checked his stats. Slim continued to nuzzle, the action almost aggressive.

Edge finally turned to them angrily. "What the FUCK is this?" He snarled.

Slim flinched, pulling away and curling in on himself. "i'm sorry, m'lord. i'll-"

"Not you. Shut up. Strip. Lay down and don't fucking move." Stretch and Blue both flushed as Slim obeyed without hesitation, removing his hoodie and kicking off his shorts despite how much pain he had to be in. They both looked away embarrassed. "Now you three: explain."

Red and Stretch hesitated but ultimately relented under Edges demanding stare. They quietly recounted how they'd been messing around with the machine -yes, Edge. you warned us not too- and that as soon as they realized what type of universe they were in, they'd tried to leave. That was when they saw Slim being tossed out by a small black-armored Sans. They couldn't just leave him there, so they brought him back with them.

Meanwhile, Edge gathered up the scattered supplies, keeping an eye on the couch-ridden skeleton. Slim was still for only a moment before he started to tremble. The shaking grew as he waited blindly, in part from the realization of how much pain he was in, especially after his outburst, the rest out of fear. Edge pulled over the chair and supplies. He'd rather hoped the reaction to being naked and at 'his lords' mercy would result in some sort of arousal. If only because it told a better story then the clear terror and body wide tremors he got instead.

"I'm going to touch you now." Edge informed him when Slim's eyes failed to follow any movement. The other looked confused but didn't utter a word, only briefly flinching when Edge applied the medicine. "You may speak now."

"m'lord?" his hoarse voice came out in a timid whisper. "i don't understand…"

"What don't you understand?" Slim started to respond, but stopped, afraid. Edge scowled. "I'm going to ask you some questions. You will answer immediately and truthfully. Do you understand?"

"yes, m'lord."

"Did I do this too you?"

"yes."

Everyone else in the room winced and drew away. Blue covered his mouth as fresh tears sprung to his sockets. He couldn't understand how someone could hurt anyone so badly, much less another version of him against his own brother. Stretch rubbed his teeth, needing a cigarette. His nerves were shot but he needed to hold himself together. He could have his own breakdown later. Red was seething, clenching his sharp teeth until they ached in his mouth. He didn't care what fucking universe it was. It was some version of his brother. He wanted to strangle something.

Edge remained focused. "Why?" He asked. The panic attack had disrupted a lot of the bandages, but he could tell most of them had been shoddily applied anyways. Stretch didn't have much experience with first aid and Red didn't have much time to put his knowledge to use, but Edge was something of an expert himself. He began clearing the bandages and reapplying the salve with a practiced hand. Slim was the perfect patient, never more then gasping as Edge realigned a shattered bone, and never moving or pulling away.

"it was punishment." Slim answered him softly.

"For?"

Slim misunderstood his reasoning, but jumped at the chance to prove been listening and understood why he'd been punished. "i can't do anything right." He said quickly. "i'm a fuck up. i make your life harder. i'm lazy and inconsiderate and pathetic. i'm worthless. i fuck up my job. i fuck up your life. but i'll be better this time. i won't embarrass you anymore. i'll be better and i won't-"

"Stop." Edge ordered. Slim stopped hesitantly, more promises dying on his tongue.

Edge continued to work, efficiently making his way down Slim's spine to his pelvis. There he started to get the reaction he expected, as well as terrified apologies from the half-conscious skeleton.

Edge was nearly done with his legs when Slim started to get his head back in order. He stared for a long time, watching the other him apply the bandages. He'd dreamt it was his lord. That Sans had taken him back, forgiven him for being such a fuck up, and was even bandaging his wounds, but he felt stupid now. Sans would never lower himself to such things. His brother wasn't going to come back for him.

"who are you?" He asked quietly. "what happened?"

Dangerous red eye light flickered to his face and Slim shivered. He should be careful. The monster in front of him was stronger then him. Much stronger. He was someone to be feared. He was someone important and he definitely didn't have time to be wasting on trash like Slim.

However, Slim couldn't quite muster the strength to focus, and the monster didn't kill him for it. He just turned back to his task. "You had a panic attack so I calmed you down. You might have another one. I'll be here if you do."

Slim wasn't sure that answered his question, but he couldn't remember what question he asked anymore. The pain in his body was starting to abate from the medicine, but he also didn't notice it as much. Like another far away dream. He was so drained, both mentally and magically exhausted. He couldn't let his guard down. He had to be ready for the inevitable. He had to stay alert… but everything felt… just… so… heavy…


	3. Chapter 3

Slim was all bandaged and redressed, passed out on the couch, when the others decided to move to the kitchen table. Blue made up some tea, while Stretch straightened up some of the mess that spread to the kitchen. There was already an evening chill coming in from the broken windows. They'd have to get something to cover them for the night and repair them in the morning. The rest of the mess could wait while they dealt with more pressing issues.

"He won't be like that long," Edge pointed out as Blue handed him a tea cup. "So do you have a plan? Or am I going to his dimension to get some real answers for myself?" He sipped the tea calmly, as though he was asking about the weather and not planning some sort of casual homicide.

"we can't go back there at all," Stretch muttered. "and neither can slim."

Edge rolled his eyes. "Well, I know why you idiots can't go, but I don't see the harm in going myself. He's clearly attached to his brother, but it's hard to stay attached to a pile of dust. It will be therapeutic."

"WE CAN'T DO THAT," Blue shot down immediately. "WE WANT HIM TO FEEL SAFE HERE. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE IF YOU HURT HIS BROTHER. BESIDES WE DON'T… WE STILL DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. NOT REALLY. YOU AND RED HAVE ALWAYS HAD-"

"don't loop us in with that!" Red snapped angrily as Edge slammed his cup down.

"What is in that room is nothing like my relationship with Red. It's not just-!" He stopped short and reassessed his words. "That is someones pet. A real pet. Poorly trained, poorly cared for- Nothing about that is okay. Don't compare us to that."

Blue sank into his chair, looking chastised. "I'M JUST SAYING, WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT EITHER OF THEM TO MAKE ANY CALLS. HE LOVES HIS BROTHER. I KNOW HOW ANY ONE OF US WOULD ACT IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO OUR BROTHER." Three skeletons tensed."YOU WOULD PROBABLY JUST MAKE THINGS WORSE…"

Edge sighed. That was true. Regardless of treatment, if Slim still loved his brother, going after the little prick would be a betrayal. "Well, what is your plan? Because you two seem Ill-equipped to deal with something like this. And apparently my brother doesn't even know how to handle a panic attack."

Red glared. "fuck off, boss. i'da been fine if he hadn' been firing off blasters like he 'as goin for a new high score in fuck'n galaga. "

"And then there's that. He's defensive." Edge flicked his finger between Red and Stretch. "I don't think either of you should be near him if he breaks down again. Blue and I should be fine for a few turns, but he's going to be dangerous if he snaps again."

"WELL, WE WERE HOPING…" Blue began, earning two confused looks. They had not discussed much of anything yet, but Blue was willing to guess that others would agree. "SINCE YOU'RE ALREADY HERE, MAYBE YOU COULD HELP US OUT WITH-"

Edge cut him off with a raised hand. "I'm busy. I can give you some advice and help out if things get particularly bad, but I shouldn't even be here right now. The Royal Guard is currently pulling double duty and eight monsters have been dusted this week alone."

A dark air settled around the table. Edge and Red didn't make any particular effort to hide how dangerous Underfell could be, but they also didn't allow any visitation. Sometimes Blue and Stretch could forget how bad things were.

"eight?" Red hissed, " s'was three this morning."

Edge gave his a look that said 'we'll talk about this later and it isn't going to be a pleasant'. "Either way, I did need to stop by here and pick up some supplies we're running low on, so I don't mind today. But I can't really help with this and I don't need some sort of pet. Between Red, the Canine Unit, and now the entire Underground, I'm up to my sockets in things I need to take care of."

Blue nodded sympathetically. "YOUR ROYAL GUARD DUTIES ARE VERY IMPORTANT. WE CAN HANDLE THIS. IT'S SAFE HERE. ONCE SLIM REALIZES THAT, I'M SURE HE'LL WARM RIGHT UP TO US!"

Blue's warm smile encouraged Stretch to nod along, but Edge frowned. Real, actual pets were rare in Underfell. It was a symbol of strength, but it needed a monster who was strong enough to bend someone completely to their will and a monster weak enough to allow it. Plenty of monsters tried, but it rarely worked for them. The victims would run the second they had the opportunity or kill their captor in their sleep. If they were being blackmailed or the sort, most could report it to the Royal Guard, as keeping someone against their will was still illegal.

A real pet had to want to be there. They had to put up with whatever their master wanted or risk losing their protection. They would lie about their injuries or treatment so the Royal Guard could do nothing about it. In his experience, those monsters didn't do so well when they lost their masters protection. Still, he'd never had the opportunity to drop one off in a completely safe, soft, squishy, let's-talk-about-our-feelings sort of place like Underswap. Maybe it could work.

"Just don't forget to keep your guard up," He warned. "He's a higher LV then you both. In an all out fight, he will probably win."

Stretch started playing with his lighter and Blue tugged on his gloves. Red grinned reassuringly. "don' worry 'bout it. ya guys are great at that comfortin' crap. y'll have him all smooth an polished in an hour."

"Oh, you're going to make sure of that," Edge informed him with a glare. "You're staying here. They're going to needs someone with some real experience in something like this."

Red glared back. "sounds like things are goin ta shit back home. i should be helping ya."

"Yes, you should. Instead you've been galavanting around with Stretch and managed to bring back even more trouble!"

Red growled lightly, but stopped after another look from Edge. "didn' know things were getting that bad…"

Edge ignored him, "As long as he's here, one of us has to be as well. I don't want a Fell monster running about here unchecked."

"aw~" Stretch teased, trying to lighten the mood. "you do care~"

Edge nodded, standing up slowly, his fingers spreading out on the tables surface. "I do," he sharply, voice threatening. Stretch startled, but Edge turned towards the entryway with an air of malice. "Which is why, if any harm comes to anyone in this house, they won't be able to recover enough of your dust to even hold a funeral. Understand?"

There was a moments pause, before a skull peaked out from around the wall. Slim must have woken up and sat down just between Stretch's abandoned sock and the kitchen to listen to them. His sluggish movement suggested he was still in a lot of pain, but his eye lights were clearer then they had been before.

"… yes, sir…" He answered softly.

"YOU'RE AWAKE!" Blue cheered, turning all his attention to their guest as he bounded over to him. "HOW ARE YOU FEELING? CAN I GET YOU ANYTHING?" Nervously, Slim pulled his knees to his chest and curled in on himself. He shook his head very slightly, not making eye contact. "YOU MUST BE HUNGRY! IT'S PAST DINNER TIME." Blue held out his hands to help him up, but this made Slim jump and Blue hesitantly backed off. He squatted down in front of the other, trying to catch his eyes. "…NO ONE'S GOING TO HURT YOU HERE, OKAY? YOU'RE SAFE WITH US."

"Would you stop speaking for everyone here?" Edge snapped, crossing his arms. "I make no such promise."

"You're not helping…" Blue muttered, before smiling as warmly as he could. "OUR UNIVERSE IS REALLY, REALLY NICE. YOU'LL BE SAFE HERE. AND WE'RE GOING TO HELP YOU GET ALL HEALED UP, OKAY?"

Slim risked a quick glance at him, before looking away silently. His hands tightened on his arms, even as it made him wince in pain and Blue smiled sadly. Small steps. He got up to reheat dinner, which had been abandoned in all the chaos.

"I'll check in on you guys tomorrow," Edge said, double checking the gold he had on hand as he got ready to leave. He was serious about needing supplies. It was one of the advantages to having access to a wide variety of universes. "Red, keep me updated on any problems. And you-" He narrowed his eyes at Slim. "Don't test me. Not a scratch."

Slim lowered his eyes submissively, which Edge figured was good enough for now. If he was as concerned as he acted, he would never leave such a powerful monster in Blue and Stretch's care, much less with his brother a whole universe away. Slim was a threat, yes, but he was going to be a different sort of trouble, Edge was sure of it. Resigning himself to that decision, he headed out to the shops, slamming the door behind him.

Stretch slouched down in his chair, blowing out a long breath of air. "geez, your brother's the picture of comfort, aint he?" Red grinned at him and Stretch motioned over to their guest. "you ok, bud? come sit with us."

Slim tugged his hood a little lower as he unfolded himself and tentatively approached the table. Stretch nudged a chair out for him with his foot, holding a friendly grin.

"come on."

Red leaned in with a wink. "yeah, we don' bite. i mean, i do, but that's not the point."

"his barks a lot worse then his bite." Stretch was quick to reassure, finally falling into some more comfortable dialog with Red. The other barked loudly and Stretch laughed. "dog-gone it, red."

"aw, throw me a bone, stretch,"

Blue let out an exasperated sigh. "RED! BROTHER! PLEASE!" Only Red noticed the way Slim jumped and scrambled to sit down, hunching up.

He sighed. "so, how ya feeling? the medicine help?"

Slim looked at him, eye lights dim in his sockets. His bones looked lackluster and brittle. HP aside, he looked like a single attack would take him down. "…yes. thank you… i'm fine…" he answered.

Red snorted, "yeah, sure. ya look it." Not that it wasn't the answer he would have given himself. Admitting weakness to a stranger wasn't something one did lightly where he was from.

"no need to be nervous," Stretch told him, getting up and heading for the fridge. "like blue said, we brought you here to help you. drink?" He tossed Red a bottle of mustard they kept around just for him and grabbed some honey for himself.

"no thank you," Slim practically whispered.

Stretch didn't let that deter him, shifting around the condiments to see what they had. "we got lotsa options. come on, whats your poison?"

Slim glanced at Blue, before looking back, shoulders raising defensively. "…w-water?"

Stretch frowned. "it's not a test, or anything," he encouraged, but Slim didn't change his answer. "hm, ok. lets see if i can guess… well, i like honey… red's mustard… ketchup… so maybe… barbecue sauce?" Red laughed when Slim's sockets widened surprised. "oh, that's totally it! i think we have that…"

He places a bottle on the table in front of Slim who started at it like it was a lit stick of dynamite instead of a tangy topping. Stretch had no idea what to do with that, rubbing the back of his neck. "…anyways… as you might of figured, you're in mine and my bros universe." Slim gave him a wide stare. "the machine downstairs calls it underswap. everyone calls me stretch and him blue." Blue waved happily, nearly finished saving dinner.

"i'm red, from underfell," Red held out his hand to shake but before Slim could make it clear that wasn't happening, he flipped it around to show off the improved electric joy-buzzer he liked to use to get in a sneak attack. "don't be too shocked if i'ma lil closer ta what yer used to then these two."

"red, come on," Stretch grumbled. "do you and edge actually know how to not be threatening?"

Red snickered, feeling Slim's gaze linger a little longer. "call it a fell thing. and ya already met the boss. they call him edge, but yer better off keeping up that 'sir' thing from earlier. keep ya on his good side."

Slim nodded, his movements barely enough to shift his hood.

Blue began serving them, bringing over a warmed bowl of canned soup for Slim before serving tacos to everyone else. "WHILE I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO TRY THE SANSATIONAL SANS'S TERRIFIC TACOS, SLIM, I THINK IT'S BEST IF WE STICK TO SOME EASIER FOOD FOR NOW. JUST UNTIL YOU'RE HEALED A LITTLE MORE."

Slim wouldn't look at him. "yes, sir. thank you."

Blue laughed lightly, taking the seat across from him, sitting next to his brother. "OH, DON'T CALL ME 'SIR'. JUST BLUE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL ANYONE SIR IF YOU DON'T WANT TO. EVEN EDGE. HE CAN MAKE A STINK IF HE WANTS TO, BUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT."

Slim nodded hesitantly. They waited for him to start eating, but he just stared at the bowl. After a minute, Blue leaned forward and pushed the bowl closer encouragingly. Slim glanced around at everyone, eye light narrowing as he realized they were all watching him. He tensed up again.

"s'not poison or anythin," Red told him after another moment. He tugged over the bowl and took a bite himself. "see? stretch was just joken wit ya earlier."

"oh-! yeah, no. that's just an expression," Stretch insisted, realizing he probably shouldn't throw those sorts of words around.

Still, Slim only looked more confused. He clearly began to panic as they continued to watch him. His bones began to rattle, he started to sweat.

Blue felt his soul tighten uncomfortably. "IT'S SAFE, SLIM, I PROMISE. PLEASE EAT…"

Slim grabbed the bowl, his shoulders sagging as he carefully but quickly began shoveling the soup in his mouth. Everyone else sighed. Getting some good food in him would speed up his recovery. They started eating as well.

"so, ah…" Stretch began, between bites. "do you like 'slim'? or do you have something else you'd rather go by?"

Slim didn't even glance up. "you may call me whatever you like…" He muttered softly.

"WE DON'T WANT TO CALL YOU SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE," Blue insisted quickly. "DO YOU LIKE IT?"

He nodded that small nod again and they didn't want to push any further.

"What about yer bro?" Red asked. "been callen him 'black' so far."

Stretch snorted, not really thinking about it. "what, like his soul?"

Slim growled.

The rest of the table turned to him at the sudden sound and he seemed to catch himself. The sound cutting off although his eye continued to linger on Stretch as he withdrew into his hood and shrugged shoulders.

Blue turned to his brother exasperated. "PAPY!"

Stretch mimicked his counterpart, shrinking under the scolding. "sorry…" he muttered, poking at his food. "… but i'm not wrong…"

"oi," Red warned, but Slim was already growling again.

"you are," he muttered darkly, bones tensing up despite the pain it caused. His magic responded to his sudden anger although it was too weak to do more then sputter and fail. "m'lord doesn't tolerate bullshit, but he's a good person."

Stretch startled slightly, despite himself. He shouldn't be surprised that Slim was still loyal to his brother. He shouldn't be surprised Slim would defend him. Yet he couldn't seem to help it. "he nearly killed you!"

"so?"

"so!?"

"PAPY STOP," Blue said firmly, trying to get his attention. Red was looking between them, wondering if he should intervene.

"-you're lucky to be alive! thats not what a 'good person' does."

Slim scowled although his flickered with pain. "that was my fault. i deserved it..."

Stretch shot up agitated. Slim also scrambled to his feet, posture somewhere between defensive and ready to bolt. Blue panicked. "no one deserves to be treated like that!" Stretch insisted, bothered by Slim's passive dismissal of the event. "and it's not just that! he's clearly been-"

"STOP IT!" Blue shouted suddenly. He'd meant it for his brother, but it was Slim who reacted. The startled skeleton threw up his arms to protect himself and stumbled back, tripping over his chair. The others shouted as he fell and crashed into the cabinets. He let out a scream of pain.

Blue raced around the table but the second Slim saw him, his arms went back up in their defensive positions. "i'm sorry-" he whispered fearfully. "i'm sorry, i'm sorry, i'm sorry…-!"

Blue teared up. Red let out a sigh, glancing at Stretch, who exhaled, his frustration fading quickly into guilt. That was definitely his fault. He shouldn't have pushed. He wasn't wrong, but that really wasn't the time for that conversation.

He made his way over to the cowering monster and knelt down next to him. Slim continued to tremble, flinching at the movement. "hey, i… i'm sorry. i shouldn't have… are you okay?"

The frightened monster didn't respond. Stretch carefully touched his arm, making him jump again, but when no blow followed, Slim slowly looked out.

"i'm sorry…" he repeated.

"NO, I'M SORRY. I-" Blue said, wincing at his own tone. "I- I didn't mean to shout. I have a loud voice, I don't mean too…"

"it's my fault," Stretch said, making his intention clear before he carefully grabbed Slim's arm and helped him up. The other monster didn't seem to know what to do. "shouldn't have said all that. i won't say it again. pals?"

Slim nervously glanced at Stretch's hand still on his arm and Stretch let go, watching Slim pull in on himself. He nodded slightly. It wasn't a very reassuring nod, but Stretch didn't push. Red gave him an impressed thumbs up.

"come on. why don't you finish eating, and then we can get you off to bed. you've got to be exhausted…"

Slim didn't argue, letting Stretch help him back into the chair. They ate in silence.

After dinner, Blue straightened up what he could of Stretch's room and remade the bed with fresh clean sheets. Slim very tentatively offered to help clean up, but Blue was quick about shooting him down. Slim was injured. He needed to rest.

"YOU CAN SLEEP RIGHT HERE. RED AND MY BROTHER ARE GOING TO SHARE THE COUCH. FEEL FREE TO BORROW SOME PAJAMAS, PAPY DOEN'T WEAR THEM ANYWAYS." He turned down the sheets and bounced on his toes. "DO YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE BED? WATER? HOW ABOUT A NIGHTLIGHT?"

Slim gave a tight, little shake of his head still refusing to make eye contact. He eyed the bed nervously.

Blue held his smile. "OKAY. WELL, IF YOU GET HUNGRY, HELP YOURSELF TO ANYTHING IN THE KITCHEN. AND JUST KNOCK ON MY DOOR IF YOU NEED ANYTHING AT ALL!" He waited, hoping Slim would ask for… just something. Anything, so Blue could feel like he'd done something more to help. Instead, Slim just nervously thanked him and Blue made his way to the door. "IT'S NO PROBLEM. I KNOW… I KNOW TODAY WAS A BAD DAY, BUT WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE. I WANT US TO BE FRIENDS, OKAY? SLEEP WELL. GOODNIGHT." He closed the door.

It was late. Past the time they normally went to sleep anyways, but Blue headed back down the stairs, each step heavy and unfocused. Stretch and Red were still on the couch, looking around the destroyed living room. "how is he?" Stretch asked.

"HE-" Blue sniffled, then ran forward and threw himself at his brother. Stretch caught him, wincing as his brother started crying into his hoodie. "HE HATES ME! I-I-I DON'T UNDERSTAND! HOW COULD I-!? HOW COULD SOME VERSION OF ME-!?" He couldn't get the words out. Slim wouldn't even look at him!

"hey, hey-!" Stretch panicked and Red leaned in close, both of them trying to cheer him up. "it's not like that. you know how different some of the universes can be."

"yeah! besides, stretch's the one who pissed him off. he hates stretch."

Stretch glared and Red gave him a smirk. "that's not funny," He said. Red snickered anyways. "come on," Stretch gave Blue a tight hug. "he doesn't hate you. he just doesn't know you yet."

Blue sniffed, burying himself further into his brother's embrace. "I JUST…"

"i know," He hushed, exchanging looks with Red. "why don't you head to sleep, huh bro? it's all gonna be fine. i'll get something for the windows and we can clean the rest up tomorrow. we all gotta be fully rested to help him out."

Blue didn't want to go to bed, but he was pretty worn out. He had to admit that sleep was probably a good idea for all of them. "OKAY, PAPY. YOU BOTH SLEEP WELL."

"make sure you lock your door tonight," Stretch muttered. Blue agreed, none of them bringing up how pointless it was if Slim could use shortcuts like Stretch and Red could. It wasn't like they could prepare for it either ways. Blue trudged tiredly up the stairs, while Red and Stretch discussed what to do about the windows.

. . . . . .

Slim observed the room around him. It looked a little like his room, in the same way the rest of the house looked a little like his house. His brother's house. It was all the same size and shapes, but it was different. Wrong. The colors and furniture were different, and Black would never have allowed him to make such a mess of his room. Black would have dusted him at mere mention of something like the trash tornado that was rotating in the corner.

He glanced at the bed. It looked comfortable and inviting. His body ached to lay down and just pass out, but he didn't. It was probably a test. Surely, he wasn't supposed to sleep in the bed when Stretch and Red were sleeping on the couch. Stretch belonged to Blue and Red belonged to Edge, but he belonged to no one. He was lower then them all. It wasn't right. His bones rattled, but he tried to keep them quiet. He was supposed to be asleep after all.

Carefully, he lowered himself to the floor and worked himself under the bed. It was dusty and littered with random items, but he didn't care. Hiding under the bed would also provide him a few more moments to wake up if someone came in for him. He felt a little calmer in the narrow space.

He settled himself in the trash pile, resting his sore head on his even sorer arm before quickly changing positions. Sleeping on the floor wasn't foreign to him, but his body was burning with agony. He wished he had more of that medication from before, but he wouldn't dare ask for it. He was very lucky they had treated him at all. And he'd thanked them by destroying their house. His next wince had nothing to do with pain.

They would need to be appropriately repaid. Without his brother's protection, he was completely at their mercy and he would have to do his best not to upset them anymore then he already had. He wondered what they wanted with him. Why had they taken the time to heal him? Why the pretense they wanted to be friends? He didn't know and he was too exhausted to try and figure it out, either.

His injuries pulsed with pain, reaching all way to the marrow, but he refused to make a sound. He deserved it. It was all his fault. What did Stretch know? He looked like Slim, but he wasn't, was he? He was good. Good enough for Blue to call him 'Papy' and 'brother'. Sans hadn't called him by his name in years, much less acknowledged they were actually related.

Slim rolled over again, ignoring the pain as much as he could. The floor felt unusually hard under him and he felt hot tears build in his sockets. His Lord- No. He didn't have the right to call him that anymore- Sans- Black had finally rid of him. After all those years of trying to do his best, to be obedient, to listen better. He'd completely failed. He could have done more. He should have done more. Just to be someone worth killing in his brother's eyes. Of course Black didn't want him anymore. Who would?

The tears spilled over and he scrubbed them away with his sleeve. He was such a failure. His brother hadn't even hated him in the end. He just hadn't cared. The tears fell faster.

What was he going to do? He was trapped there, surrounded by fake smile and completely helpless. As bad as things got, he'd always had his brother. Without him, Slim didn't know what to do. He felt so completely alone.

Unable to stop the tears, he curled up as best he could, pulling his arms up over he head to try and muffle the sound.

The floor was very uncomfortable.


	4. Chapter 4

Hard metal pounding exploded suddenly in his head and Slim jerked from his uneasy sleep with a gasp and smashed his skull against the bottom of the bed frame.

'FUCK!' he nearly screamed, clenching his teeth as hard as he could as white hot pain eviscerated everything. He ripped the headphones out of his ears and flung the MP3 player across the room, rolling up into a tight ball, clutching his skull.

He hadn't gotten much sleep at all. Even after he'd managed to cry himself to sleep, it had been restless, his injuries waking him as fast as his weariness could put him down. Now that it was morning, the pain all came rushing back tenfold, mocking him for not having rested better. As he carefully touched the new crack he'd just stupidly given himself, he could feel the bones of his shattered fingers grind against each other. It felt like raw nerves resting against sandpaper, scraping when he moved. Despite himself, he couldn't help the strangled groan that escaped. He was used to punishment. Black had never been easy on him and he'd always been such a fuck up that his brother could never take a break. He deserved it, but as he struggled to catch his breath he realized: this was definitely worst then it had ever been.

Across the room, he could clearly make out the sound from his music player. Even the thought of crawling out from under the bed seemed agonizing, but he had to turn it off before the sound could wake anyone else. Ignoring the pain and the way his vision began to grey on the edges, he dragged himself across the floor and shut it off. Blasting music to startle himself awake was something he'd picked up a few years ago to make sure he got out of bed before Black. It was the only thing that worked, but it never got any easier. His soul was still pounding, becoming more noticeable with his heavy panting as he started adjusting to the pain, but at least he was up.

Taking only a minute to try and settle himself, Slim used the wall to prop himself up. He told himself he was not going to have another attack. He couldn't afford it. What was a little pain anyways? He reached his feet, tears coming back to his sockets again. A lot of pain. What was a lot of pain? He could handle it. He took another breath.

There was no time to waste having a panic attack. It took him far longer then he'd have liked to brush the dust and trash off his hoodie and make it out of his room. He relied heavily on the walls and banister as he tiptoed down the stairs. Everything was quiet and it was still dark, but Slim's magic had recovered enough to produce a wavering light. Red and Stretch were snuggled up, asleep on the couch like Blue said. Although Slim tried his best not to make a sound, one of Red's sockets opened flashing red. Slim froze immediately.

The magic flicked over him appraisingly, before closing again and Red settled deeper against Stretch's chest. He was just letting Slim know he wasn't easy to sneak up on. Stretch continued to snore, not waking at all.

Slim carefully made his way to the kitchen. Someone had tacked up plastic sheets over the broken windows. It wasn't the best solution, but it did help to keep some of the cold out. Glass still littered the floor, swept only slightly out of the way. Dishes from dinner were soaking in the sink. Carefully opening the fridge found it fully stocked with large amounts of hamburger meat and taco shells, but also plenty of basic amenities.

If this universe worked anything like his, he had about two hours before the artificial morning lights, and Blue, got up. That wasn't going to be enough time. His body hurt too much and with Stretch and Red sleeping in just the other room, he'd have to keep extra quiet and work by just the light of his magic. He'd just have to get as much as he could finished.

He started with breakfast. Compared to his brother he'd never been gifted at anything, but he'd had a lot of practice preparing food for breakfast when Black wasn't in the mood to cook. He made an omelette, filling it was some cheese and some of the left over cooked meat, since Blue was so fond of tacos. On the side he chopped up a potato and fried it, using only the smallest amount of oil. There was even fruit in the fridge, so he cut up an orange after a few failed attempts to peel it with his broken fingers and added some berries in a small bowl before placing the whole thing in the fridge. He could reheat the plate when Blue woke up.

Next was dishes. At first he tried to keep his bandaged hands out of the water by just using magic, but was impossible. He was too drained. Instead, he just washed them normally. Lucky they had been soaking. Just the effort to scrape off the soggy remains pushed his phalanges to the limit. He was worried about the bones un-aligning, but he didn't really have the time to dawdle.

Just those two task took nearly all his time. He was exhausted, but he had to at least start the cleaning. Figuring it'd be easier then standing, he knelt down by the glass and used the dust pan and brush to start sweeping it up. It was a little easier on him, but the position also further cemented how tired he was.

His bones sagged. The brush felt impossibly heavy, like he was trying to move the shards with a cinderblock. Keeping a light up was slowly burning away what little reserves he'd built up, and sitting alone in the dark he could feel the exhaustion building. He tried to shake it off as he scooted along, making slow but consistent work on the mess.

The kitchen was mostly glass free when Slim heard a door open upstairs. Alarmed he hurried to the fridge, ignoring his body's violent protest and the way his legs wobbled. Fruit and orange juice on the table. Plate in the microwave. As he punched in the numbers, he could hear the footsteps stop halfway to Stretch's room, then quickly turn to hurry down the stairs. Shit. Sans usually went to clean up in the bathroom first. It wasn't going to be ready.

Blue appeared in the entryway, eyes glowing in the dim morning light that was just starting to stream in through the windows. "Slim?" He whispered, reaching over to flick on the light. The sudden light made Slim wince. "You're up earl- WHAT HAPPENED!?"

Slim tried not to flinch as Blue crossed the room with his hands outstretched, but he couldn't keep himself from falling back a step. If Blue touched him too hard, Slim wasn't sure it wouldn't be enough to kill him on its own. But at least then it would be quick. Dusting would be better then whatever else Blue was about to do…

Blue stopped short, looking pained. His fingers fidgeting for a moment, before dropping down by his side. "I… UM… Y-your skull… you…"

Slim thought about the new crack. It was pretty small, so he didn't think it would be too noticeable. However, when he reached up he found a large very sensitive bump where the bone had swollen up like a bruise. His magic was trying to heal it, but he didn't have a any to spare. He was distracted by his exploration by Blues gasp.

"YOUR HANDS-! WHAT-!"

Slim looked down at the bandages. They were waterlogged and unraveling, revealing the shattered phalanges underneath. He winced. Medicine and treatment was expensive and he had wasted their efforts. No wonder Blue was disappointed in him.

"s-sorry. i was trying to be careful." The microwave dinged and Slim inhaled. It was a little late, but he had breakfast ready. He quickly got it out and put it at the place Blue had sat the night before. He pulled up his hood and withdrew his hands into the sleeves so Blue wouldn't have to see his fuck up anymore. "breakfast is ready."

Blue blinked, not quite registering what was being said. His mind was still on the injuries, trying to figure out how Slim had possibly gotten worse just overnight. He looked at the place setting. "I… FOR ME?"

Slim nodded, thinking it was a strange question. Clearly Stretch or Red didn't get up and make breakfast in the morning, but who else could Blue think it was for? Blue stared for a moment, before shaking his head and leaving the room.

Slim started to tremble. He'd done something wrong. He took another involuntary step back, knowing Blue was coming back with some form of punishment. He shouldn't have touched the food in the fridge. What was he thinking? He didn't know how Blue was planning to use it.

A moment later, Blue was back, holding the medical kit. Slim internally winced as Blue caught his posture and saddened. He was really fucking this up.

"THERE'S STILL SOME OF THE MEDICATION LEFT. IT'S NOT A LOT, BUT I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH FOR THOSE."

Slim shivered. Waste even more medicine? Forcing a smile, he carefully opened and closed his fingers, feeling the agonizing scraping all the way to his core. "they really don't hurt that much," he lied, "is breakfast unsatisfying?"

"NO!" Blue shouted, even louder then usual. He glanced out out into the living room. Stretch slept through it, but Red was glaring a little before pulling the blanket up over his head. "No, Slim that's very nice of you, but you don't have to make me breakfast. You're hurt, you should still be in bed resting." He pulled out a chair and motioned for Slim to sit down. He didn't want to. It was much too close to Blue. Breathing steadily, he sat down.

Blue pushed down his hood and Slim tensed up, closing his eyes. He needed to loosen up. Punishment hurt more when he was tense. "I'm going to touch you now," Blue whispered, interrupting Slim's thoughts. For some reason that sounded familiar, but it didn't stop him from jumping when he felt something soothing run over his crack.

Blue was treating him. Why? He shouldn't be lowering himself for Slim's sake. Was it another test? Should he try to stop it? But it was what Blue decided to do, he couldn't tell Blue what to do.

"Do you really feel better?" Blue asked softly, looking him over. "Your injuries are so bad…"

"theres no need to worry about me. i can handle this." He winced when Blue began working on his hands. He was so pathetic. "i can do this. the food is getting cold."

Blue shook his head. "You're hurt. I'm taking care of you."

Slim hung his head defeated. He'd made a mess of that morning. Black was right. He was too stupid to do even the simplest things. No wonder his brother had gotten rid of him. Who could want someone like him?

Blue was finished with his hands after a few agonizing minutes. Still he didn't move to eat breakfast. He just stared at him, eyes clearly sad. Slim coward. "thank you. i'm sorry."

"DON'T BE SORRY," Blue said quickly, forcing a smile. "THERE'S NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR." Of course there was. He'd already fucked up so much, but what else could he do? If Blue didn't want apologies, he'd just have to make it up some other way.

Finally, Blue looked over at the food, cooling on the table. "DID YOU REALLY MAKE THAT FOR ME?"

Slim nodded weakly.

"THAT'S SO SWEET..." He sat down on the chair, inhaling deeply. "IT SMELLS REALLY GOOD. THANK YOU. DID YOU ALREADY EAT?"

"no!" Slim blurted out offended. It was less then a day and Blue already thought so little of him… He wanted to cry.

Everything got even worse when Blue stood up, ignoring the food again and going to the cabinet. "I'LL MAKE YOU SOMETHING. DO YOU WANT EGGS TOO, OR-"

"i can make it," Slim panicked, nearly knocking over his chair to assist. He didn't understand why Blue wouldn't just eat. At this rate he would be late for his early patrol, wouldn't he?

"NO, IT'S ALRIGHT. I WANT TO DO IT."

Slim hesitated. If it was what Blue wanted… Black enjoyed cooking as well, but he'd never scolded Slim for taking initiative unless he really messed something up. "what about work?"

Blue smiled at him. "OH! I ALREADY TOLD ALPHYS I'M TAKING THE DAY OFF. I WANT TO BE HERE IF YOU NEED ME." He opened the fridge. "SO, EGGS? HOW MANY? TWO? THREE?" When Slim didn't answer he grabbed the carton. "I'LL MAKE ALL OF THEM. STRETCH AND RED CAN HEAT SOME UP LATER."

Blue was taking the day off? Because of him? That couldn't be a good thing. Black almost never took time off, even when Slim begged him too. It had to be for a really good reason, or… once, he had taken the day off because Slim had been such a colossal disappointment that he'd had to stay home to punish him.

Slim glanced nervously at breakfast. No, that was stupid. Blue had said it was sweet. Even if he didn't mean it, that was pretty extreme for misusing food. Slim looked down at the dustpan full of glass and winced. Of course. He'd made such a mess with that attack the day before. They would have to punish him for it. He'd sworn to make it up to them, so being good about his punishment would be a good place to start. Blue probably wanted him to eat so he'd be ready. If he'd finished cleaning, maybe that punishment would be lighter. Blue was still working on breakfast, maybe he could get started on the living room?

Blue noticed him just standing there, looking uncertain. "Go on, sit back down," he encouraged softly. Slim obeyed immediately. "ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO BED? YOU SHOULD STILL BE RESTING."

"i'm ok." He was exhausted. He'd never be able to sleep knowing there was stuff to do and a punishment coming. "is there anything i can do to help?"

Blue beamed at him and he flushed, hiding in his hoodie. "NO, BUT THANK YOU FOR OFFERING! STRETCH AND RED ARE SUCH LAZYBONES! THEY NEVER OFFER TO HELP." Offer? "BUT REALLY, I LIKE COOKING. I WANT YOU TO JUST RELAX."

Slim nodded demurely. Ok. Blue liked to cook. Slim shouldn't have taken that away. Still, he should be doing something. Blue wanted him to relax, he could do that. He wasn't sure how when there was work to do, but he could do that. He could be good. He focused on letting the tension leave his bones, but every clatter of ceramic or steel on the counter made him jump. He couldn't forget Blue was right there, expecting him to be good. By the time the eggs were ready Slim had worked himself into a cold sweat.

Blue heated up his plate and Slim could immediately see he was disappointed when he sat back down. Blue just stared at him, until Slim had to hold back a whimper. Sighing, Blue began to eat. "MMM~! THIS IS REALLY GOOD!"

He was smiling, but he wasn't happy. Slim tried not to be disappointed. It probably wasn't that good. Sans had never been impressed with his cooking, despite his best efforts. Why had he thought it could be something he could offer in the first place.

Blue was tense, poking at the eggs. His grin was tight. "...AREN'T- ...Aren't you going to eat?"

Slim nodded. "I will. Thank you." It looked good. Much better then his shoddy cooking, surely.

Blues smile wavered again and Slim panicked. What did Blue want? He hadn't said Slim could eat, but he was talking about it. He looked at the fork. Should he start anyways? No. No, no, no. Pets don't eat until Masters say so. So what was Blue looking for…?

"you really didn't need to make anything for me." Blue put down his fork with a sigh and Slim winced. "i'm sorry!"

Blues eyes were sad. "For what?"

Slim started to shake. That was the worst question to hear when he didn't have an answer. 'Everything' was a bad answer.

"I promise it's not poison..."

"oh. thank you." He was starting to think poison might be a real issue in this dimension. It hadn't been a big issue back home, although it was something he'd known to keep an eye out for…

"You don't have to wait for me… or anything."

Those sounded like slightly veiled instructions. Slim was never good at those. Black took his orders very seriously and misunderstanding would result in punishment. Slim liked straight forward orders, but maybe it was something he'd have to work on. "should I eat?"

"Please…"

Relieved, he began eating. It was delicious, just like he expected. He said so and this brightened Blue's mood considerably. He went back to eating with a smile. Slim worked on keeping himself 'relaxed'.

After breakfast, Blue started putting on his boots. He'd taken the day off, but he still wanted to go for a morning jog. He was excited to see someone else in the house was a morning person. Maybe when Slim was feeling better he would enjoy coming along. Snowdin was beautiful in the mornings and he'd love to have a jogging partner without having to go all the way through Waterfall. Slim seemed more active then Stretch and Red. The prospect was exciting.

Slim knelt down to help with the laces, but Blue shoo'd him off, insisting he didn't have to do that. "DO YOU WANT ANYTHING FROM THE STORE WHILE I'M OUT? ANYTHING? SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE FOR DINNER…?"

"No, thank you." Slim rubbed absentmindedly at his teeth, stopping when Blues sockets narrowed.

"YOU'RE SURE?

"…y-yes?"

Blue let it go, although he didn't look like he believed it. "I'LL ONLY BE GONE ABOUT AN HOUR. IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND JUST GIVE ME A CALL. IF YOU NEED ANYTHING YOU CAN WAKE STRETCH. IF YOU START GETTING TIRED, MAKE SURE YOU GET RIGHT TO BED, OKAY?"

"…ok…" One hour. He felt a little better after breakfast. That still wasn't a lot of time, but he could at least finish the kitchen and get started on the living room.

The second Blue was out door he got moving. He got the last of the glass and searched around until he found some rubber gloves to do the breakfast dishes without messing up the bandages. He got them done much faster that time. Stretch and Red were still sleeping, so Slim couldn't use the vacuum. Instead he knelt down and just started picking up the shards by hand.

He'd gotten a pretty good amount up when there was a groggy groan from the couch. "…slim… da fuck are ya doing?"

Slim looked over at Red, who eyes him sleepily. Slim was pretty sure he wasn't doing anything wrong. "…cleaning?"

Red rolled his eyes and sat up slightly, lighting smacking Stretch's jaw. "yo, wake up. ya gotta do something bout that." Stretch frowned and shoved him away, knocking him right off the couch. "-fuck!"

Stretch grabbed the blanket and pulled it over his head. "…sleeping…"

"hey! you're the one helping him!" Red picked himself off the floor and started shaking him. "I'm just here for security-" He was stopped by a pillow, relentlessly swinging vaguely at his head until he backed off. "ugh… son of a- fine! knock it off!"

Slim flinched as Red stormed over to him and shoved out his hand for the dustpan.

"give it."

Slim reluctantly handed it over, feeling the weight of his failure settling on his shoulders. Red threw the glass he'd collected in the garbage and dropped the pan by the trashcan. He walked back and presented his hand again.

"gloves."

Slim pulled them off and handed them over. "…s-sorry…"

"dude, i don't give a fuck. just knock it off." Red yawned, tossing the gloves at the general direction of the mess, but out of Slim's reach. "one of us will get it later. for now it's a bigger pain if you hurt yourself more."

"…i'm ok…"

"ya still look it," he muttered with heavy sarcasm, before sniffing the air. "did blue make breakfast already?" His sockets narrowed. "did you make breakfast?"

Slim had only made breakfast for Blue, and based on the way Red was asking the correct answer was… "blue made eggs for you and stretch."

"sweet~" He hurried off to the kitchen.

Slim stayed sitting on the floor. He didn't know what to do. He didn't have a job or anything to get ready for, but he would have to find something to do or else he might fall asleep. Keeping an eye on the kitchen entry, he started picking up some of the shards and tucking them into his pocket. He could get some cleaning done even without tools.

Second later, Stretch suddenly threw off the covers and promptly fell off the couch. His sudden movements nearly made Slim shortcut out of the room in surprise.

Stretch looked wide eyed at the ceiling then at Slim with a forced smile. He'd manage to completely forget about their new guest. Or it would be more accurate to say the warm embrace of sleep hadn't let him remember, even when Red was shouting about it. "morning-! w-what did Red want? did something happen?"

Slim frowned. He wasn't exactly sure. "no?"

Stretch rubbed his socket, kicking off the blankets that tangled around his legs. "how did you sleep?"

Fuck… Slim glanced at the couch. Stretch and Red had to sleep there. Would they hate him for taking the bed? Should he admit that he slept on the floor? But Blue had given him the bed. Stretch might be more annoyed that no one used it. He didn't like all these new situations.

"hey, it's alright," Stretch insisted, interrupting his thoughts. "yesterday was pretty rough. wanna head back to sleep? you could crash on the couch? sometimes i like it better."

Slim was a little relieved to hear that, although he internally scoffed at the offer. Asleep on the couch when Blue got home? Nope. He was in enough hot water as it was. "blue will be home soon. i haven't finished cleaning."

Stretch looked around and winced. "you've been cleaning? you need to focus on healing bud, we'll take care of this. it's not a big deal."

Slim tensed at the casual way Stretch dismissed it. "won't… won't he be mad?

"who? blue? nah." Stretch grinned. "things don't really work that way here. blue wont get mad at you for something like that."

Slim looked at him skeptically. Wasn't Stretch at least worried if Slim didn't do it, the backlash would fall on him? "i don't want you to get punished either…"

"me?" Stretch asked confused, then scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. "oh! no, no. blue doesn't… like, own me."

"you own him!?" The words leapt from his throat with more force then he intended. Stretch was the master? They gave him the masters bed? In retrospect, it explained why Blue was so surprised by breakfast, and Edge was clearly Reds master despite being, well, Papyrus… but Stretch didn't act like a master!

"what!? no! geez, no. we're not like you, or edge and red. we don't _own_ each other."

Slim had thought Stretch was like him. At least to some degree. He'd been too relaxed. Too distracted. He began running through a mental checklist of everything he said to Stretch or did in his presence. "i-i'm sorry-!" He'd been so stupid! "I didn't mean too-" He should have been more respectful. He'd practically yelled at him at dinner! "i'm sorry! i didn't mean too- i-i-i-"

"Slim-! calm down! it's not a big deal!"

Slim closed his mouth and controlled his shaking. 'Calm down'. He needed to listen, he needed to be good.

Stretch sighed, thinking he'd settled. "Alright, come on. Lets get off the floor. Don't want to cut yourself on anything." He stood up, and held out his hands with a smile.

Slim hesitated, then took them with the widest smile he could fake. The broken bones on his hands nearly blinded him with white hot pain as Stretch pulled him up off the floor, but it was fine. He could handle it.

. . . . . .

Everyone was in good spirits by the time Blue returned home. No one did much more then smile at him as he slid quietly into a chair and waited for them to tell him what he could do for them. Instead, they discussed their plans for the day. Blue was planning to finish cleaning up his mess, cutting down Slim's offers to help almost before he'd even started to make them. Stretch was going to work on repairs or at least get something more permanent done about the window, also denying Slim's weak plea to help. Red said he was just going to enjoy his day off, until Stretch insisted the two of them were gonna split his job so he only had to do half the work, even when they both could have given all of it to Slim. Even though Slim was more then happy to do anything at all that they asked of him-!

And Slim? His job was to rest. Blue wanted him back in bed, even though he reaffirmed that he was perfectly fine and fit to do work. Blue insisted in a soft but firm tone that made Slim too afraid to argue again.

He rubbed at his teeth absentmindedly

Stretch noticed him and stood up suddenly. "i'm gonna head outside for a minute. slim? wanna come with me?"

Startled, Slim nearly knocked over the chair to get out of it. Stretch wanted him for something? Yes! He'd do it. Even if it meant going… outside.

Blue gave a sigh of disappointment. Slim went cold at the obvious sign of disapproval, frantically trying to piece together what he'd done to get that response. He didn't have a chance to before Stretch grabbed his arm and was leading him outside. Red followed them out lazily.

It was snowing. It usually was in Snowdin, but it felt somewhat different from what Slim was used too. He couldn't quite put his finger on why. There was just an overarching feeling of wrongness that had him scooting closer to Stretch as he walked over to the railing. It was deeply unsettling.

Stretch leaned down, resting on the railing and taking a deep breath of the morning air, before rummaging around in his pockets. He pulled out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. Slim watched carefully, not sure what to do with himself as Stretch lit one up and took a deep drag before holding the pack out to him with a knowing smirk.

"join me? you smoke, right?"

Slim knew it wasn't a rhetorical question and he could probably answer truthfully, but he took one anyways, a horrible dread settling in his painfully empty stomach. "i… i used too…" he admitted, his thoughts racing to the last (and only) time his brother had caught him doing so.

Stretch grinned, winking as he offered the pack to Red, who claimed a spot on the railing as well. Red took it easily, letting Stretch light it. "i knew it," Stretch said, ran his fingers quickly over the side of his teeth a few times in a familiar gesture. "i do that sometime when I need a break too. You can smoke here, don't worry."

Slim held the cigarette stiffly, staring at it. Stretch grabbed his hand and pulled it close, lighting Slim's cigarette with the end of his own.

Slim felt a cold that had nothing to do with the falling snow. "b-blue doesn't approve…"

Stretch chuckled. "well, that's true. it's not exactly good for you." he took another drag, and easily blew some smoke into the open air.

Slim tried not to squirm. He'd been careful not to let Black catch even a whiff of smoke on him ever since that day, but his brother wasn't there anymore. He glanced at Red, who looked relaxed. "e-edge wouldn't approve…"

Red flinched, before coughing on the smoke he practically swallowed. He gave Slim a warning look. "what? ya gonna tell on me?"

Slim would never, but he was cut off from saying so by Stretch. "edge isn't in charge here either, despite what he says. you don't have to listen, or do anything he says you know." He glanced at Slim's untouched bud and his confident expression faltering slightly. "i mean, if you don't want to start up again, you don't have to."

Slim quickly brought the cigarette to his mouth. Stretch smiled and for a moment, Slim though he'd made the right choice. Then he inhaled.

The smoke filled him like a virus. The taste resonated in him and all he could hear was his brother screaming. The smoke got stuck inside as the screams got louder and louder until they filled his skull completely and it was all he could hear and he needed to stop and-

"slim?"

He exhaled. Stretch wanted him to join them. It was fine. He was fine. He could do this. He could do what they wanted. Stretch sighed out, relaxing on the banister, looking out over the quiet town. Slim could feel the ghostly sensation of his lords attacks. The next inhale he saw Blue disappointed face.

Sliding his free hand into the sleeve of his hoodie, he scratched at his arm, feeling immediate relief. The bone flaked under his fingers and it helped him focus. He was supposed to be keeping Stretch company. He couldn't think of anything to say. Did Stretch want to talk? He scratched harder. Red wasn't talking. It was probably fine.

He focused on his breathing. Inhale the smoke. Exhale the smoke. Be good.

Black had thrown him out because his tolerance for Slim's failures and disobedience had reached it's end. Slim had tried to do his best, but it had never been enough. He was a failure. But he could be good! Somehow… He could listen; he could be better-! He just needed-!

He glanced over at Stretch. He or Blue had never had a pet before. Maybe if he could just be someone better then who he was, maybe one of them… would be willing to keep him. His soul jumped. If he could be better -if he could be perfect- maybe they want him. He would have to figure out what they wanted. Blue had already made it pretty clear he didn't like Slim being so nervous and Stretch wanted him to be more relaxed, he could find a way to do that. He could be what they wanted. He could make them happy and be useful! He had to prove they weren't wrong to take a chance in taking him in. They had nothing to compare him too. Maybe they wouldn't see what a fuck up he was. Maybe they could settle for him if he could just be good enough.


	5. Chapter 5

Slim struggled to claw his way out of another panic attack. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, he was drowning in the darkness. He dug his nails deeper, tearing up his radius and ulna on both arms. It wasn't enough. He needed more. He needed something. Anything. He didn't know what he needed. He felt like he was dying. He hoped he was dying.

He'd obeyed Blue's orders to return to the bedroom while they worked, burying himself under the bed to wait for whatever punishment they had planned for him. The day had stretched on impossibly long, split between long periods of unbearable boredom and prolonged pockets of hysteria that left him gasping and sobbing into the floor. It was too much, waiting all alone with his own thoughts. Blue had told him to rest, but he knew that would be impossible. Even if the floor wasn't so uncomfortable, he was too afraid to close his eyes.

He couldn't stop thinking about Black. His failures tore apart his soul. Was there anyway he could be the sort of monster that would satisfy Blue or Stretch? He bit into his arm, tasting dust as his sharp teeth dug into the bone. He'd already made such a mess of the opportunity they'd given him. Would punishment even be enough? He just wished they would just get it over with. Things would be… easier once he knew what kinds of punishments to expect for misbehavior. Not that he deserved for anything to be easy.

The bottom of the bed felt too close, pressing in on him. He was trapped and wanted to escape even as he pressed farther into the corner. It was still too exposed. Wasn't that always his limit. His best could never be enough. He couldn't even find a decent hiding spot, how could he serve anyone? He deserved to be alone.

The panic didn't ebb so much as ultimately his weariness overpowered it. Eventually he sagged into the carpet, breath shallow, too tired to wipe the tears. Now, unable to think, he stared vacantly at a dust bunny that had survived his thrashing. It was almost okay.

There was no way to tell how long had passed by the time there was a gentle knock on the door. Slim was so out of it, he almost ignored it, not fully comprehending what the sound was.

"SL-Slim?" Came a whisper and Slim jerked to alert.

His magic sparked to bring him right to the door. Black hated to be kept waiting even a moment. No, it was Blue. But his magic fizzled out, too weak for a shortcut and he scrambled out of his miserable haven. "a'll bu-!" His voice was scratchy and weak from crying. He coughed. "i'll be right there!"

He scrubbed his face on his sleeve, feeling the sharp twinge along his arms, and remembered he was covered in all manner of dust. He slapped down the front of his shirt and nearly screamed at the pain through his hand. He knew he shouldn't do that, but he couldn't make Blue wait. He bit his tongue and did it again.

"NO, I DIDN'T MEAN TO WAKE YOU. WERE YOU AWAKE? I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU WERE HUNGRY?"

Slim hoped he'd gotten everything and opening the door, to Blue's concerned face. "sorry…"

Blue's eyes widened immensely, searching Slim's face. He reached back and pulled up his hood, wanting to escape. "DID YOU GET ANY SLEEP? YOU LOOK-" He winced. "WERE WE TOO LOUD DOWNSTAIRS? DID WE KEEP YOU UP?"

"no, i'm okay…"

"ARE YOU HUNGRY?"

"i'm alright." Blue didn't' look convinced. Instead he was searching Slim's face with a pained expression. Slim didn't like it and tried to hide in his hood before remembering Blue wanted him relaxed. He forced a smile. The twisted knot in his soul loosened a little as Blue immediately brightened, returning the smile ten fold.

"YOU MUST BE A LITTLE HUNGRY. THE SANSATIONAL SANS CAN MAKE YOU SOMETHING ON THE LIGHT SIDE~!" He linked arms with Slim with a dramatic flourish and dragged him downstairs. "I THINK WE SHOULD STICK WITH MORE SOUP FOR NOW. AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT HELPING. PAPY, MAKE SURE HE RELAXES." As they passed the couch, Blue practically flung him at Stretch.

Slim tried to catch himself, but he barely had the chance to realize what was happening before he landed in Stretch's lap. "s-sorry-!" He gasped out, trying to scramble back up, but two arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him back down firmly.

"you got it, bro. one lazy couch bone-tato coming right up," Stretch grinned as Blue rolled his eyes and went to the kitchen.

Slim made one last attempt to get up, but Stretch easily held him back. "nuh-uh," he muttered, and Slim stiffened. "you're sitting with me. how'd you sleep?"

"fine," he lied. He shouldn't be on Stretch's lap but he was at a bad angle to do anything about it. Red was asleep on the other side of couch, snoring lightly. Slim hoped he was actually asleep.

"relax. we got permission to be lazy for a minute. hang out with us. or…" the hold loosened a bit, but Slim was distracted by Stretch's voice changing tone. "…are you still mad at me for yesterday?"

Yesterday? What happened yesterday? He couldn't be mad at Stretch, he needed Stretch to like him. He struggled to make his body relax as he eased into the hold. He shouldn't be doing this.

"no, sorry," he whispered.

"don't be sorry. really shouldn't have said all that. forgive me?"

What had he said? Yesterday felt like a year ago. All he could think about was Stretch's body under his. His mind was blank with panic. It was warm. Was Stretch going to kill him? He could. He should. It felt like a trap. Pets didn't need to be apologized too.

"it's… fine?"

Stretch sighed, leaning back and dragging Slim with him. "oh good. then you're gonna help me enjoy my break, right?"

Slim flushed, struggling to stay at ease in the embrace. His magic was too weak to respond, but he hoped that didn't matter. "…a-anything you want…"

"cool," Slim flinched as the hand around his waist shifted, hyper aware of every point of contact. This was fine. He could handle it. Anything to make Stretch happy. "knock knock."

What?

"come on. knock knock."

He waited for Stretch to move, but when he did, it was just to poke his hip.

"still awake? knock knock."

"…who's… there?"

" _Canoe_ "

"Canoe who?"

" _Canoe_ take a break with me?"

Stretch snickered into the back of his shoulder. Slim tensed, fighting to keep his body from curling in defensively. Black didn't like jokes. Was it a trap? Did Stretch want him to laugh? Stretch was laughing.

"not a fan of knock knock jokes? how about, 'how do you get a skeleton to laugh?'" The arms around him loosened, hands moving towards his chest as Slim paled. "lighten up, slim. it's okay. how do you get a skeleton to laugh?"

'lighten up.' He needed to laugh. He could do that. Even if he could already feel the pressure on his broken ribcage. "how?"

"you threaten to tickle their _funny bone_." His hands jerked forward, fingers wiggling but not making contact.

Slim barked out a laugh. It was too loud. He'd overcompensated for the expected assault. However, as he covered his mouth and looked back, Stretch was grinning widely. His sockets prickled with the sensation of building tears, but he tried not too look too proud of himself. That _was_ what Stretch wanted. It was the first honest smile he'd seen since he'd arrived. Finally, he'd done something right!

"there it is," he laughed. "i knew you'd come around to my _humerus_ comedy."

Red chuckled from the corner. Slim jumped.

"why didn't the skeleton go to the dance?" Stretch continued, pleased with his dual audience. "he had no _body_ to go with."

Slim laughed again, feeling unnatural. They didn't seem to notice. Red finally sat up properly and joined in. "what do you call a lazy skeleton?" He asked, eye lights sliding to the side. "stretch."

Slim clamped down on his prepared laugh. Bad one. Don't laugh at that. But Stretch was laughing, loudly now. Slim wanted to get off him, but Stretch wanted him to stay? He couldn't move until he was sure.

"says the kettle! you were literally just asleep!"

"can you blame me? you've got me working on my day off," He yawned. "At least, we're almost finished."

The living room was in a much better state. Everything was cleaned up and the window repairs were almost finished. Slim winced, opening his mouth to offer to finish up the repairs when Blue interrupted him.

"SLIM! LUNCH IS READY! COME EAT!"

Stretch let him go and nudged him off his lap. Slim scrambled to comply. "off ya go." He grinned and Slim weakly smiled back before shuffling off to the kitchen. That could have gone better, but he was on the right path. A flicker of hope helped him keep that fake smile plastered in place for lunch.

. . .

"HOi!" Bob greeted as Edge stepped through the gates into Temmie Village. Edge didn't say a word as the friendly Tem was hushed by one of his fine-suited companions and usurer away from the entry. The gate guards smiled at him, discomfortingly, and Edge glared at them. He'd consider the moment a little demonstration if he hadn't been there so many times before. The Temmies didn't need to show off. They didn't need to prove they could keep the weakest of their members alive and well. No one was willing to challenge them anymore.

The Temmie Village was renowned for its practical defense capabilities. Enclosed on all sides with only one entry in or out the Temmies were known for protecting their own. The small space was filled with smiling faces, whose eyes followed visitors their whole time visiting. The Temmies only allowed one visitor at a time and their numbers gave them an advantage over anyone who'd consider causing trouble. It was a good place, easy to guard, and secure. Edge had heard of plenty of plans to try and take the village, plans to claim the little village as a safe zone for some gang or other. It did make it difficult to maintain his bravado knowing those groups would all disappear shortly after plans were finalized.

It didn't help his nerves that the Temmies never bragged about stifling any sort of trouble either. It was always quiet in Temmie Village. Business was always good.

Edge headed directly for the shop, It was well known if you needed something you could get it from the Temmies. Products or service. If they didn't have it, they could get it. Of course, when he was able to Edge preferred to take advantage of the dimensional portal in their basement and get most anything he needed out-of-universe. Still, there were certain things he could only get in Underfell.

The shop Tem greeted him warmly when he stepped inside. "Well, if it isn't our favorite customer. Welcome. Buying?"

Edge didn't point out the stupidity of that question. What else would he be there for? "Medicine," he replied sharply, getting right to the point. He was a loyal customer and he didn't think they would risk losing his business just for the the EXP boost, but it was always better to be on his way as soon as possible.

Temmie reached under the counter and pulled out a small familiar contained and a batch of fresh bandages. They didn't have to ask what kind. Edge was a regular. It was the expensive stuff, but it was fast acting and potent. Edge never skimped on the important things.

"I need more then that," Edge added, almost casually.

Temmie pulled out another jar, grin widening as Edge motioned for them to continue. He wanted four or five. One to keep around the house and the rest to drop off in Swap. He didn't think they should need all of it, but he got the feeling Slim's recovery wasn't going to go as smoothly as Blue seemed to expect.

"Planning for trouble?" Temmie asked, also keeping up the conversational tone as they moved his purchase to a simple brown bag.

Edge narrowed his sockets. They were referring to the situation in the capital. New spread quickly in the underground and the shops were going to be the first affected by any large-scale changes. "Not planning on it," he replied noncommittally. He wasn't. Not yet anyways. But he also wasn't in the habit of dolling out information for nothing.

Temmie over charged him, but they over charged everyone. He was just happy to be getting out from all those observing eyes. Besides, he really didn't have the time to be running stupid errands.

He was reminded of that almost as soon as he left the villages vicinity and was accosted by another guard, clearly searching for him. "Sir! Captain Undyne needs you in the capital! There's a riot!"

Edge swore. He'd need to drop off the medicine later. He took off immediately for the capital.

. . .

Slim sighed relieved, feeling the tension leave his bones just a little as he finally found some old blankets. They were pretty worn out and looked like they were on their last leg, which would make them prefect. He gathered them up with a smile and looked around.

Where would be best to set up? Blue and Stretch had taken no initiative on his punishment, so Slim figured it would be best if he got everything set up first. The old blanket would be perfect for making quick clean up of any dust or marrow, but he'd need to find some tools. Stretch and Blue hadn't had a pet before so they might not have anything specific, but he could make due. Setting up in the living room seemed like the best plan at first, but Stretch's bedroom was already pretty messy. Anything that missed the blanket would get lost among the clutter.

Spreading out the blanket brought a nostalgic feeling of comfort and a deep unsettling fear in his soul. If was fine. It was always better to get it over with. He needed to be punished. He'd fucked up so much and destroyed the living room. It would hurt. It always hurt. But there was a sort of relief that came with his punishments. A sense that he'd repented, at least a little, for his mistakes. And it was good for him. It taught him to be better. It made his brother happy and it would make Blue and Stretch happy with him. He needed them to be happy with him. He needed to be good for them.

He pulled out one of the bigger pieces of glass from his pocket and put it on the corner of the blanket. What else could he use? He couldn't root through Blue and Stretch's personal spaces, but he looked under the bed and on top of the dresser until he found a lighter. Perfect!

…could Blue and Stretch use such things without killing him?

He put it down on the blanket, his hands shaking. That was fine. Blue was this worlds version of his brother, he probably had just as good control over his intent. If he didn't, however, it was also okay. He didn't mind Blue or Stretch getting his EXP. If they killed him… If they killed him… If they killed him…

He needed more variety. He'd destroyed the TV. Stretch had taken it to Undyne, of all people, to get it repaired and Slim knew how she could be. It would be expensive in some way and Slim didn't have any money on him to help. He wouldn't have had enough anyways. Most of his salary went to his brother to help with the bills and general gratuity, but he had a small savings. Rather, he'd had a small savings. Even if he could bring himself to go back, he doubted his brother would even see him, much less let him back inside to collect his belongings.

He knew there would be rope if he went out to the shed, but he was pretty nervous about going outside. He touched his neck. He knew how to fight, but without his brother's protection he'd never survive. Instead he went down to the kitchen and got a knife.

"hey there slim," Red said when he passed, his voice steady despite the way his eyes lingered on the knife. Slim realized it might look suspicious. "wazzup?"

"f-for blue!" Slim said quickly, but that didn't make it better. "for punishment. my… i'm setting up for them. upstairs."

Red lit up and Slim felt his spirit sore. "yeah?" His grin grew wider, "stretch 'n blue are gonna put ya in yer place? cause o' yesterday?" Slim nodded. "oh, i gotta see that."

Slim flinched at Reds eager tone. He wanted to watch? Slim hated to watch other Masters hit their pets. It left a sick, twisting feeling in his stomach. Perhaps Red was more like his brother then he'd thought? Either way, Red was pleased with him -someone was pleased with him- and Slim wanted Red to like him.

"okay…"

Red bounced on his toes. "great! why don't you go get ready, and i'll get em for ya."

Slim added the knife to his blanket and sat down in the middle of it. He settled on his knees incase they wanted him to move to another location. His soul started to pound. He could do this. They were new. They would be gentler then Black. He deserved this.

He took off his hoodie and set it to the side. it was the only thing he owned now. He didn't know if he'd be able to patch it if it got ruined again. It already had some new tares from his brother and hadn't been 'good' condition in a long time.

Footsteps up the stairs made his jolt. His soul stuttered and he nearly bolted. No, he told himself firmly. It was fine. It would be fine. It needed to be fine. He could hear Blue and Stretch's curious but happy voices getting close. They were still in a good mood. That was good. That was important. Punishments were always nicer when Black was happy. It was fine.

The door opened and Slim sat up straight, hoping he looked proper. His hopes fell immediately as he watched the smiles and light disappear from Stretch's and Blue's faces. His soul twisted painfully.

They weren't happy with him.

"SLIM?" Blue asked slowly, looking over the items. "WHAT'S... ALL THIS?"

They didn't know. That's all. They hadn't had pets before. Once he explained it too them, they would be proud of him. "i-i just… i'm ready for- if you want!" he added quickly. Maybe he had misunderstood the situation and they were just waiting for a more appropriate time to discipline him. "if nows good, i gathered some things and didn't want to make a mess." He wasn't saying any of this right and he could see it on their faces. "i have been disobedient and destructive and you're disappoin-" his voice cracked as tears tried to break free again. He was fucking this up. He was such a goddamn fuck up! "d-disappointed in me, but i can make it up to-"

Blue couldn't take it anymore and ran to him. Slim flinched violently at the sudden movement, closing his eyes and preparing for the blow, but Blue dropped down and pulled him into a hug. The embrace hurt, although Blue was trying to be as gentle as possible, and it helped him settle a little bit. Blue was so unlike his brother. A hug was such a strange way to start a punishment, but maybe it helped. Just a little. It was terrifying but he couldn't help leaning into it, trying to use it too lock down his emotions. It seemed to have the opposite effect, but he liked it anyways. It was a good way to start a punishment. Blue was going to be good at this.

Then Blue sniffed and his world spun on the axis. Blue was crying, holding him tight and shaking. The brief feeling of calm he'd gathered was gone. "SLIM, WE AREN'T DISAPPOINTED IN YOU! WE AREN'T MAD, WE AREN'T GOING TO PUNISH YOU-! WE DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU. WE WANT YOU TO HEAL AND GET BETTER AND BE HAPPY!"

Slim stared ahead. His mind was racing but he couldn't seem to get any of his thoughts in order. "but i… i need to be punished. i'm bad. if i'm bad i deserve to be punished."

Blue pulled back, tears overflowing from his sockets. "NO, SLIM, YOU AREN'T BAD. YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG, I PROMISE."

Haven't done anything wrong? He destroyed the living room, he wasted medication, disobeyed direct orders, and hadn't done a single thing to make them happy all day. How could Blue just brush that off? Did they really just not understand that he didn't deserve such treatment?

"it's okay to punish me. i'm used to it. it won't kill me. it's okay."

Blue hugged him again, shaking his head. "NO, IT'S NOT OKAY! WE AREN'T GOING TO HURT YOU. NOT EVER! I PROMISE..."

In the doorway Stretch was grinding his teeth, glaring vehemently at Red. "you fucking jackass, why did you let him do this? why didn't you tell us?"

Red crossed his arms trying to be sullen, but it didn't quite wipe the guilt from his face. "i… knew ya weren't gonna hurt him. thought it was gonna be funnier…"

"WELL IT WASN'T FUNNY!" Blue snapped, making everyone jump. He stayed where he was for a few more minutes, until finally, he let go. Everyone was quiet as he gathered up the tools Slim had prepared. "I'M GOING TO PUT THESE AWAY. THEN I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU SOME DINNER, OKAY?" He rubbed at his sockets. "SOME FOOD WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER. DO YOU... WANT TO COME DOWN STAIRS?" Slim didn't answer. "I'LL CALL YOU WHEN IT'S READY. YOU SHOULD GET SOME MORE REST. TODAY HAS BEEN A LONG DAY."

Slim didn't argue watching Blue flee the room. Stretch hesitated at the doorway, before following him. Red gave him a weak look. "…sorry…" he muttered. "shoulda told ya they weren't gonna do it… i'd better go help." He hesitated, incase Slim was going to say something, then closed the door.

The room was quiet. Slim waited to see if they would come back. Explain that they were joking. Stretch like jokes. They couldn't be serious.

No punishments? He giggled. They weren't going to hurt him? They weren't disappointed in him? He giggled louder and quickly covered his mouth, trying to muffle the sound. He couldn't quite seem to get ahold of himself and grabbed his sweater to bury the sound.

Did they think he was stupid? He laughed harder. Or did they really just want him to feel safe and comfortable before they tore into him? They seemed so ridiculously kind, with their big smiles and soft promises. But everyone had an angle. No one that kind could have survived this long.

Or maybe they just didn't want him at all. Why take care of something you planned to get rid of? Maybe they just wanted to let him think he had a chance, before yanking it way from him. His whole body shook with laughter. That was it and he'd fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. It was just a cruel joke. Why would they want him? His brother could barely stand him, and Blue and Stretch already had each other. They certainly didn't need him around after he'd already proven to be such a problem.

It was funny, but jokes on them. He just needed to change. He just needed to be even better. He could MAKE them want him. He needed them to want him. He needed anyone to want him.

He couldn't stop laughing. His soul was frantic. He couldn't breath. He tried to stop it. Buried his face harder into the hoodie. It wouldn't stop. What did he do? His brother always helped him through this, but Black wasn't there.

Slim was alone. So utterly alone.

The glass clinked in his hoodie. Immediately, he turned it over, shaking out the pocket, still giggling. He just needed to be punished. Then he could be better. Selecting the largest shard he could find, Slim nicked testingly at a section of his arm not covered in bandages. He hissed, but it wasn't nearly enough. He dragged the shard slowly down his arm, pressing harder and harder, until his soul started to calm down. Then he did the other arm until his laughter settled into something more manageable. He tore right through his bandages, and he hoped Blue wouldn't notice, but who cared really? They didn't want him anyway. They never wanted him. He pushed harder.

Dust pored out of the wounds. He couldn't hurt his own HP, but it did feel better. He could breath again. He did it again, once for ever bad thing he'd done that day and the day before. He couldn't wait for Stretch or Blue, but that was okay. He was fine.

By the time Blue called him down to eat, he'd gotten ahold of himself and easily hidden then damage beneath his hoodie. As long as he was careful, they shouldn't notice the dust, but he needed to get his act together. They wanted him calm and relaxed, and focus on healing. He could do that. Another giggle bubbled up as he opened the door.

Safe? What a joke.


End file.
